True
by dralg
Summary: A KevLaur story. How will Kevin react to Laura being in danger? Will he finally convince her to move in with him?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I wish I could say I trust GH to give us a good Laura-in-peril-Kevin-is-worried story this week so I thought I would try to write my own. Oh, and this Laura also knows a thing or two about taking care of herself so don't be looking for Kevin to break down a door and save her. Besides, he is much more the cerebral hero and there are many ways to save someone. Enjoy!

 **True**

 **Chapter 1**

 **A KevLaur Fanfic**

"Laura? Did you hear anything I just told you?"

Kevin watched as Laura shook her head and moved to take a sip of her coffee. She had been up and dressed for the day and wearing a hole in his living room carpet with her pacing and nervous energy for hours. She seemed genuinely relieved when he suggested breakfast at Kelly's before his first appointment at the hospital. But now she kept losing focus and zoned out as he had been talking to her about his last phone call with Christina.

"I'm sorry, Kevin," Laura said while reaching to stroke his hand on the small table. "I should have warned you that I wasn't going to be good company over breakfast."

"The Board vote?" Kevin asked, already very aware of what had her so preoccupied.

"Yes, this afternoon at 3. Tracy has already texted me twice to remind me and warn me not to be late. I do have to be there early to help Tracy put the packets together for the Board members and we are meeting with Hayden one last time to go over the financial projections."

Kevin took the last bite of his spinach and feta omelet and set down his fork and looked up at the woman in front of him. He realized that he loved her more every day or at least found new things to love about her. His right hand was now interlocked with hers and he gave it little squeeze that he hoped conveyed without words that even distracted, she was still the best of company. Kevin was very proud of Laura who had become so involved in the Board activities after just a few short months and was now instrumental in helping the Quartermaines ensure that the hospital continued in the Port Charles community for many more generations.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kevin asked as he watched Laura push her French toast around some more on her plate, clearly too distracted to care about eating even at this point.

"Well, there isn't much to say. We have tried to convince all the Board members that we have a viable solution. But, the holding company that made the offer to buy the hospital isn't backing down. Even Lucy thinks that it is too good an offer for us to sway the final undecided voters."

"I'm still shocked that Lucy is not fighting more for the hospital. She won't know what to do without the Nurse's Ball every year."

Kevin decided that this wasn't helping Laura deal with her anxiety and decided to switch tactics. "I'll be in my office finishing paperwork when the meeting is over. Will you come see me right away? I think dinner out with a nice wine is on the agenda for this evening. Or, since I know you didn't get much sleep last night, I'm fine staying in and making it an early night."

Laura finally abandoned the rest of her breakfast and thanked the waitress while she filled their coffee cups one more time. Kevin noticed the tension in her shoulders and knew that more was bothering her than just the hospital vote.

"Kevin, I think I'm going to head back to Lulu's tonight."

Kevin tried to make eye contact and noticed that Laura was looking everywhere—down at her hands, at the table next to them—but at him. He had lost count of how many times they had this discussion in the last two months and decided that now really wasn't the time to bring it back up or try to talk Laura out of her plans. If he learned anything it was that once she made up her mind, it was hard—if not impossible—to change her mind about anything.

"Whatever you need to do is fine with me, Laura," Kevin continued in the softest and most gentle voice she had ever heard. "Just know that I am here for you and my door is always open."

Now he was rewarded with eye contact. And they were still the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. So many emotions were flickering through them today. He felt if he kept looking he would truly get lost in them. He realized he had seen this very expression from Laura before. When he had told her she didn't have to say anything on the plane ride back from Geneva. She seemed shocked that he wasn't making more demands on her. A lesser man would have pushed to know if she accepted his apology. And now, she seemed soothed by his willingness to let her come to him, yet again.

"Thank you." Laura still hadn't broken eye contact with him and reached for his hand again.

"What do you say we get out of here? I've still got a few minutes before I have to be to the hospital and it is such an unseasonably warm day. We could go for a short walk in the park, just soaking up the sun and fresh air without thinking about hospitals or Board meetings, or anything really."

"I think that is a great idea, Kevin."

Kevin handed their waitress money for the bill as well as her tip and then moved back to help Laura with her coat. As they moved to leave Kelly's he didn't miss the fact that Laura reached for his hand first. No one thought it odd that the man sitting by himself at the table by the window abruptly left his money on the table and followed them out the door.

* * *

They did as Kevin suggested and left both of their cars in the parking lot at Kelly's and walked the short distance to the park, still hand-in-hand and content to just walk in silence. Laura moved to loop her arm in his and tried to keep up with Kevin's long stride. She lifted her face to the sun and enjoyed the warmth as a breeze rustled some dead leaves at their feet.

Laura allowed herself to replay the events of the morning as she was cognizant of the closeness she felt towards the man beside her. How she had watched the digital numbers on the clock count closer to dawn and how she couldn't turn off the voices in her head as she heard his deep breathing beside her. Kevin had finally stirred and instinctively knew she wasn't and couldn't sleep and pulled her into his embrace. The warmth…the feel of his masculine hands as they rubbed up and down her back. Now she remembered the smells too. Kevin smelled of softness and sleep. She saw flashes of his surprised, but not disagreeable expression as she was the one to kiss his neck and reach to pull his shirt over his head. They moved without speaking and she hoped Kevin could sense that she needed this connection to help her make sense of where they had been and where they were headed. When he had asked again the night before, the first time she stayed at his apartment for two nights in a row, if she would reconsider his offer of moving in permanently. She hesitated, just like before, and still uncertain of what words to put to this reluctance she chose not to say anything. Now, she fought her own demons as she knew she was fighting a losing internal battle with herself and something in her past. When she only stayed at his apartment one night separated by a night at her daughter's she could justify that she wasn't truly ready to move in with him. But now…now that one night had become two…her hesitation became like a stone weight keeping her from floating to the surface and allowing herself to enjoy how good it felt to be with him.

"Laura?" Kevin's voice had pulled her out of her reverie and she realized that they had even stopped walking. He was turned towards her with his hands on her face, searching her expression, realizing that she had been deep in her thoughts. She leaned in to kiss him. Soft, slow, and gentle as the kiss then morphed into a hug and Kevin held her as she swayed into his embrace.

"I wish I could stay here with you longer but I really need to head back and get to the hospital. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine. I think I'm going to walk a little more before I head back. I'm going to touch base with Lulu before I have to head to the hospital later. Kevin, thank you."

"What for?"

"For…well…everything. For just being you. For being patient with me. I know I have been distracted by this Board Meeting. I can't imagine going through all of this without you beside me."

"Well in case you haven't noticed yet, we are pretty good together. We are a team. And together, we can deal with anything."

"I love you, Kevin Collins."

She didn't mean to start crying and she was certain she could blame it on the uncertainty of the Board vote or her lack of sleep. But, she was also certain Kevin could tell it was more than that.

Kevin's thumb caught one of her tears while his soft kisses silenced the others. His embrace told her she could talk to him if she wanted to or she didn't have to say anything at all.

Laura found her voice as she stepped out of his arms to look at him. "Kevin, you need to know that I am seriously considering your offer. This is about me and what I still need to sort through. Not you. You are wonderful. I meant what I said months ago. I love being with you. My life is better with you in it. Thank you for being so patient with me. Thank you for loving me."

She flashed him a big smile and hoped he had a few more minutes for some proper kissing even as the breeze cooled their passion and they reluctantly separated so that Kevin could get to work on time.

"I like messing around with you, Laura Spencer, in the park, in February, in the sunshine." Kevin teased her just a little further as his lips found a favorite spot on her neck and his hands slid between the buttons on her coat.

"Kevin, we've…messed around like teenagers for the last two months." Laura said in a demure fashion that was still plenty flirty too.

"Laura, teenagers have sex…in the back of a car or their parents' basement. We've been making love like adults."

"You don't hear me complaining."

"Ditto."

Laura took his hands in her hers and gave him a playful shove away from her. The dark cloud lifted from her so that she believed that she could get through the day and be successful in her mission to save the hospital.

"Go; don't be late to work…again."

"You will come see me after the meeting?"

Laura's heart broke as Kevin looked so forlorn. She realized she had given him no reason not to think she would head straight to her daughter's home at the end of the day and she regretted how abrupt she had been earlier. Kevin was making this so hard. But he was doing it without pressure or emotional blackmail. He was doing it with patience and genuine understanding and love.

"You will be my first stop as soon as the Board Meeting has ended."

Kevin gave her one final kiss for luck, although he said she wouldn't need it. He then pulled her coat around her tighter, buttoned the button he had managed to undo, and tied her belt so that she wouldn't get cold on the rest of her walk in the park.

Laura could still hear Kevin's voice saying "I love you" as she continued her walk through the park. She didn't hear the footsteps of her attacker until he was immediately behind her. The hair on the back of her neck alerted her first to danger. Her reflexes went back in time 30 years when she and Luke were always looking over their shoulders and expecting the worst. Because of this vigilance, Laura managed to get a glimpse of her attacker before she felt the rag over her face. She was certain she had been able to scratch his arm too just as she felt the world spinning and the cold pavement beneath her back.

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** I'm very annoyed with GH right now and how no one seems to remember or be concerned that Laura was just kidnapped and drugged! So, here is the continuation of my version of events when Laura goes missing. Enjoy! And for those of you reading this, please consider adding your own KevLaur story (stories). We certainly need them while we wait for the paid writers to get it together and tell a decent story and show respect for veteran actors.

 **True**

 **Chapter 2**

 **A KevLaur Story**

Sage. Turmeric. No, maybe ginger. Laura wasn't entirely sure what she smelled, just that what she did smell was significant, unique, and pervasive. Still foggy from being drugged, she couldn't fill her lungs fast enough and the smells burned her nostrils. The herbs were close by; just beyond the door to the room she was in she suspected. Her senses were on high alert as she struggled to identify the sounds around her in addition to what she could see and smell. The music had been playing for hours, ever since she had been left in this room by her attacker who had blindfolded her and physically moved her from his car to this room. She was almost certain he had parked in an alley as she could feel the cobblestones underneath her feet and could still smell the harbor on the breeze. He roughly grabbed her arms and led her through a metal door into a small passage way and then into this room. Accent man, as she was calling him had taken her cell phone and watch so she had no sense how much time had passed since she had last been walking in the park with Kevin. She suspected that they were still in Port Charles but she couldn't imagine why anyone would want to drug and kidnap her. Unless it had something to do with her need to be at the hospital and the Board vote this afternoon.

Laura moved from sitting on the edge of the bed to stand closer to the door. 'Accent man' had thankfully removed her blindfold and had left her alone in the small bedroom. But, she could sense his presence still and knew that he had not gone far and was probably in the room behind the locked door. She heard the bell jingle over the door and footsteps, likely high heels on wood floors, before she heard the voices.

"Why did you bring her here?! You were just supposed to drive her around for a few hours and then leave her sleeping in her car!"

Accent man was trying to defend himself and his voice was lower and more difficult for Laura to hear. But, she had a pretty good idea what he was telling the woman who was demanding answers from him and clearly his boss.

Laura could make out only snatches of what he was saying. "She woke up...she was hitting me...I almost lost control of the car!"

An inward chuckle as Laura remembered his expression when she pretended to still be asleep and reached for the wheel of the car. An accident would free her from his confinement and she was determined to not be a helpless victim as she fought back against her attacker.

"I had to bring her somewhere! It was too soon to just let her go."

"Well, that certainly complicates things."

High heels woman's voice was shrill and while authoritarian, Laura could detect her frustration and annoyance. She stood as close to the door as she dared and struggled to make out even more of their conversation or to see if she recognized either voice. Laura still couldn't place Accent man's accent but was thinking British or Irish. High heels woman sounded at least 50 and she could imagine her being well-dressed and dignified. Laura heard the whistle of the tea kettle and then the hiss as it was removed from the stove followed by the sound of boiling water being poured into a tea cup.

Suddenly, any hope of hearing more clues was cut off by the music volume being significantly raised. Thus, reducing all further discussion-including information about her fate or purpose for being there-to muffled noises and just the barest hint that someone was even talking.

So instead Laura focused on the music that she had originally thought was just some random instrumental jazz music but now realized was a specific Asian style of music. She had heard something similar before and struggled to go back in time to place the music.

Beijing…with Luke and a very young Lucky. They made their way through the open air marketplace as Laura had stopped to talk to the old Chinese woman who had become her friend over the few short months they lived there. Flo Wen sold rare orchids at a stall at the center of the marketplace and was always playing music like she now heard coming from the other room. Laura helped her at times and she could still feel her wrinkled, leathery skin as she took her hand in hers when Laura told her about their abrupt departure. In those days, it was imperative that they stay one step ahead of Frank Smith and his henchmen.

Thinking of her past made Laura wish she had her large, ragged, duffle bag with her now as she would have a variety of things she could use to fight back against her captors. She realized her purse was still in her car having left it behind when she and Kevin had walked from Kelly's to the park that morning. She took one more survey of the room and attached small bathroom and decided that what she found would have to suffice. She clutched the small scissors in her hand and moved to sit back down on her bed to conserve her strength.

Now as the intoxicating music encompassed her she allowed her thoughts to wander to Kevin. He was so patient with her and very loving. They fit so well together. She couldn't imagine either of them talking about marriage again after dealing with disappointments and past hurts from previous marriages. But, she couldn't imagine her life without him in it. She needed him and truly enjoyed his company. Her mind flashed to her musings earlier in the park and once again she tried to sort out her feelings. Perhaps when this mess was over she would talk to him and give Kevin the answer he had been waiting months to hear from her.

Just as suddenly as the music had swelled it was now silenced. Laura heard two sets of footsteps as her attacker and his boss turned a key in the lock separating her from her freedom. She palmed the scissors etighter in her hand and felt the cold metal press even further into her skin as she readied for her attack.

* * *

Kevin was deep in the middle of a busy afternoon of back-to-back sessions when he got the first frantic text from Monica followed by one from Tracy and finally one from Lulu. He had already thought it was odd that Laura didn't text him back at lunch time when he wrote to wish her a final "Good Luck" as well as a second text reminding her to remember he loved her if she got nervous during the meeting. And now, even Lucy had added her own text as he started his final session for the day a minute after 3 p.m. His mind was elsewhere but he was a trained professional and did his best to make his patient feel like she was the reason the session was ending ten minutes early. Too impatient to deal with the elevator Kevin took the stairs to the 8th floor, only pausing once on his ascent to catch his breath and text Laura a fourth time.

The Board had finished their vote by the time he made it down the hallway and he didn't need to ask any questions as he could tell the results on both Tracy and Monica's face.

"Has there been any word from Laura?"

Kevin caught his breath and glanced at his phone again as Tracy moved passed Monica to stand in front of him.

"No, and thanks to your girlfriend playing hooky from this very important meeting, General Hospital is lost to all of us!"

"You can't think she did this on purpose, Tracy."

"I don't know what to think at this point."

"Well, take it from me," Kevin continued to the small audience gathered in front of him, "Laura was worried sick about this meeting today. She knew how important it was and she was doing everything she could to save this hospital."

He turned away from them just as his phone was ringing. He was disappointed to see Lulu's picture come up but hoped that she had found Laura. As it turned out, Lulu had no idea where her mother was and also could not believe that she would miss the Board vote. Kevin said he would head to Kelly's and the park where he had last seen her over seven hours ago. Lulu was going to the police station to talk to Dante and was going to insist they start looking for her mother too.

Kevin was tired of sending only text messages so this time called her phone and waited for it to go to voice mail.

"Laura, we are all worried about you. Please call me back when you get this message. I'm here if you need to talk or need help. I will always be here for you…for any reason."

He hesitated to hit the end button and was frustrated that there wasn't more that he could do in this moment. Just hearing her voice on her message was like a kick to his gut. If something happened to her, he couldn't imagine how he would handle it or what he would do to the person that hurt her. In less than a year Laura had become the most important person in his life. He loved her so much.

Kevin was in a daze as he drove to Kelly's parking lot. He wasn't sure which would be worse: to have her car still be there or for it to be gone. He had his answer quickly as he pulled in next to her blue SUV and parked in the same spot he had this morning. It was only a few hours ago when the worst thing had been that she had been preoccupied during their breakfast and had told him she was going to spend the night away from him. Now another kick to his gut as he worried about her safety and pushed away the thought of her not ever spending the night in his arms again.

Her car was locked but nothing looked out of the ordinary. She had a blanket and some books in the back seat. Kevin texted Lulu to see if Dante could meet him in the park with a forensics team. He was beginning to believe that something happened to her there and he was likely the last person to see her when they said their goodbyes on the walking path. Kevin turned his face towards the sun and started to jog towards the park as his mind flashed back to the way she had felt in his arms this morning. How he had teased and flirted with her and moved her hair away from her face in the breeze. He could still feel her lips on his and the taste of maple syrup when he had kissed her one final time before turning to head back to his car and the work day ahead. He couldn't wait to hold her again and he refused to allow himself to think the worst. She was Laura Spencer. She has come through so much adversity and trauma in her life. He had to believe she would come through this too.

* * *

Kevin had covered the same concrete stretch of path, re-tracing the steps from their morning walk, at least five times before Dante and two police officers showed up on the scene. He wasn't sure what he had hoped to find. And anything short of Laura herself wouldn't ease the sick feeling in his stomach. He kept checking his phone hoping that she would text or magically call him back. Dante was getting ready to send the officers even deeper into the park and had received a picture from Lulu so that they could start asking people nearby if they had seen her.

This time on his walk, Kevin decided to go farther off the path in case she left some type of clue behind regarding what happened to her. And there it was, glinting in the late afternoon sun, hidden behind a pile of dried leaves, about a foot off the walkway. Kevin saw the shape of the key ring, the Star Trek NCC-1701 starship that doubled as a bottle opener, with one lone gold key attached to the ring. He knew better than to touch it because if Laura had managed to throw this key—her key to his apartment—then she likely had found some other way to help them find her. Instead, exhausted by the adrenaline rush of the last few hours, Kevin sat down next to the key and reached for his phone to call Dante.

Despite the ground being cold and his pants likely being damp and grass stained, Kevin hesitated to call for the police to examine what Laura had managed to leave behind. Instead he left her another message, his heart cringing again when he heard her voice but couldn't get to her.

"Laura, I found it. I found the key. You refused to put it on the ring with your other keys. But I was so glad you took it from me that day. You agreed you might need to come and go sometime without me and promised me you would move it to a different key ring when you decided to move in for real. Thankfully you just laughed at my Star Trek obsession—original series only—and insisted on keeping the key on the only key ring I had to offer you. If I remember correctly, you told me it would make you think of me when you would feel it in your pocket or purse. Now, I can't help but feel you leaving it here in the park was indeed part of your plan. We will find you. I love you. It is all going to be okay."

He realized that he had added that last line more for his benefit as he tried to slow his breathing and focus on why Laura would have tossed her key from him off the path. Dante and his officers found him a few minutes later and he could only slightly hear the urgency in Laura's son-in-law's voice as he asked them to get it back to the station to be analyzed for finger prints or blood.

"Kevin, is there anyone that I can call for you?"

Dante reached out his hand and helped Kevin back to his feet. He realized he was still waiting for an answer to his question but the only person Kevin could think about wanting or needing in this moment was the one person who was lost to him.

 **TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Sorry about the delay but I was having trouble writing this chapter. Can we just have a show that centers around Kevin and Laura? They are just amazing! But, I have to admit, I like 'real' Laura much better than the scared and confused Laura GH gave us recently. My only hope is that this story entertains all of you in KevLaur Nation! There are more stories to be told so I will keep trying to encourage more of you to write! We can never have too much...or too diverse of Kevin and Laura fanfiction! Come on...you know you want to be a writer! Enjoy!

 **True**

 **Chapter 3**

"Do you think we can get a DNA match from the skin particles and blood CSU found on Laura's key ring?"

Kevin was in a fog and had barely registered what Dante had just asked Commissioner Ashford. Before he could process anything further he saw Lulu enter the precinct and rush to her husband's side. She was likely eager for an update on the search for her mother. Kevin was trying to slow his breathing and not allow himself to imagine the worst. Laura was the bravest and most resourceful person he had ever met. She also wasn't afraid in the face of danger. Sometimes that could be both a good and bad thing. Mentally Kevin flashed back to his view of Laura confronting Valentin when she realized he had killed her son. His left hand moved automatically to rub his chest near his right shoulder as he allowed himself to sink further into the memory of Laura's expression as he fell to the floor.

As a trained professional, Kevin knew that changing his thoughts could help him change his feelings from fear and worry to love and admiration. He remembered the fear in Laura's eyes but also her confident and steady hand as she removed the bullet from his chest. The events of that memory were addled with adrenaline, shock, and finally blissful sleep from the cheap alcohol. Now he was awash in memories. The feel of her soft lips when they finally kissed for the first time, the shudder of her sobs as grief led her to the comfort of his arms, the way her body arched against his when he entered her the first time, the beating of his heart when Laura took what she needed from him just this morning at the first vestiges of sunlight.

It had felt like forever since he had seen her…felt her…held her. But, Kevin had to believe that she was fighting to get back to him and her family. She felt like family to him now and he was determined to remain strong so that he could be there for her daughter.

Kevin moved towards Lulu and Dante and before he could ask any questions or even say hello, Laura's daughter had moved to hug him.

"Kevin, where could she be? Who would do this to her?"

Lulu was a bundle of energy and Kevin moved to just hold her for few minutes. In some ways her daughter was very similar to Laura and in other ways they were very different. Some of those differences had to come from Luke.

Kevin stepped back from Lulu and allowed his thoughts to become questions.

"Lulu, have you tried to reach your father to see if he has heard from your mother?"

Lulu's puzzled look answered his question before she had time to respond.

"Why would my father know where she is or what happened to her? It is impossible to get him to return phone calls. Even when we were worried about him this summer while we were on Cassadine Island, he didn't return any of our calls."

"I don't know that Luke does know anything about what happened to your mother, but I just want to explore all options. You know how strong and brave your mother is. She will be okay. We will find her."

Lulu looked skeptical but calmer than when she first walked into the precinct. The four of them spent the next few minutes talking about Laura's day, the Board meeting at the hospital, and anything else Laura may have said or did to help them find her. Kevin had been the last person to see her during their walk in the park that morning. But now, it was almost dark and Kevin could feel his own worries creep back in his gut while Lulu excused herself to call both her father and brother in case they had talked to Laura sometime today.

Kevin's phone vibrated and he about jumped out of his skin. A flash of hope that it was Laura passed quickly when he saw Tracy's name on the display. He wasn't in the mood for another lecture from her about Laura missing the Board meeting and Kevin was sure she heard the abruptness in his voice when he answered his phone.

"Kevin, have you heard anything about Laura?"

"Not yet, Tracy. I'm at the police station with Dante and Lulu. I think she was taken from the park after I left her this morning."

"Taken?" Kevin could hear the worry in Tracy's voice and decided that maybe her concern was genuine now that she realized Laura would never intentionally miss the hospital vote. She was proud of being asked to be on the General Hospital Board and had worked very hard over the last few weeks to find ways to keep the hospital going despite efforts for it to be sold.

"Kevin, she has to be okay. Do the police have any leads?"

Kevin shared that they had found Laura's key to his apartment in the grass near the walking path and that they had officers searching along the waterfront and near Kelly's.

"Kevin, I'm sorry about earlier. For thinking that Laura had purposely skipped the Board meeting. For making you think I was angry at her."

Kevin could hear the remorse in Tracy's voice and he could tell that she too was worried about Laura.

"Tracy, she will be okay, we will find her. Thank you for being a friend to her."

"You can thank me by finding her."

"Wait, before you go Tracy, what can you tell me about the Board meeting. Did Laura not being there really make a difference with the vote?"

"Yes," Tracy responded and Kevin could almost hear her wheels turning as she talked him through the events of the meeting and the vote. She had asked Mr. Sorensen, the chairman to wait a few minutes longer for Laura to show up but he had been impatient and eager to keep things moving. In addition, he was the only Board member that didn't think it was odd that Laura wasn't there and immediately left the meeting after the vote. Kevin decided to file all this information away for later and didn't let Tracy hang up until she had given him a contact number for Mr. Sorensen. If Laura had been there, the vote would have been tied and it then would have been decided by Monica, as Chief of Staff. But instead, the hospital would have to start layoffs and would officially be sold to the holding company in 30 days.

Kevin noticed out of the corner of his eye that Detective West had joined their group and he looked like he had some information regarding Laura.

"Tracy, I'm going to have to let you go but I promise I will keep you posted."

Kevin moved to rejoin the others and Lulu was also back from her phone calls with a shake of her head to indicate that she had not been able to find out anything from Lucky or Luke.

"We found a DNA match off Laura's key ring. It looks like when Laura was attacked in the park she managed to use her key ring to scrape some skin from her assailant. She even managed to draw some blood before she tossed the key ring into the grass."

"Who is the match?" Dante asked as they all moved closer to the desktop computer.

Detective West pushed a few keys and a picture appeared on the screen.

"Winston Rudge. Does he look familiar to any of you?"

Kevin was afraid this was another dead end as he could tell no one recognized the gentleman in the picture. But at least they had a name and Dante moved to put out the APB for him.

"Did you say Winston Rudge? I know him."

They had all been listening to Detective West and too engrossed in looking at the picture to notice that Alexis had entered the precinct and was now standing behind Lulu looking at the picture of the man on the computer.

Commissioner Ashford stepped between the computer screen and Alexis and immediately started to grill her for information.

"Ms. Davis, this is part of a criminal investigation regarding the possible kidnapping of Laura Spencer, so anything you can tell us about this man would be most beneficial."

"He works for Julian. He came to my house looking for Julian a few weeks ago. I came here to see if I can talk to Ava. I heard she was in lock up on new charges related to the death of Morgan Corinthos."

"Is that all you can tell us about Mr. Rudge? Do you know where we can find him?"

"I don't know anything else about him. Julian seemed upset that he had come looking for him at my house." Alexis seemed to hesitate and Kevin wondered if there was more she was keeping from the police.

"Well," Jordan continued, also concerned that there was more Alexis might know about the current situation. "If you don't know where we can find Rudge, do you know where we can find your ex-husband?"

"Actually, no I don't." Alexis paused before answering further. "That's why I wanted to talk to Ava tonight to see if she knows where Julian is right now. He is not returning any of my calls or texts."

"Alexis," Jordan continued as she began to pace away from the desk. "I'm not even going to ask why someone who has a restraining order against Julian Jerome is trying to reach him."

Eventually, Commissioner Ashford gave up trying to get more information out of Alexis and went to check in with the officers that were part of the search group on the docks. Dante decided to drive Lulu home and Kevin managed to convince Alexis to let him come with her to talk to Ava. And while Kevin was thrilled Laura had managed to help them determine who had abducted her, it all still felt so overwhelming to find Winston Rudge and where he had taken her. They could be out of the state or even the country by now. And more importantly, Kevin couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story of why Laura had been targeted in the first place.

* * *

Laura could feel the hair standing up on the back of her neck as the key turned in the lock and the door began to open. She stayed where she was sitting on the bed as she first wanted to assess the situation so she could decide the best course of action. She was relieved when she saw that it was only the man that had grabbed her in the park and the older woman with high heels. Laura had been worried there would be more than two people, making it impossible for her to plan her escape.

"Well, what are we going to do with you?" It was high heels woman that spoke first while Accent man just stood there blocking the door.

Laura stood up and noticed that Accent man instinctively took a step forward. He was cautious and aware of his surroundings making her escape even more difficult. Laura decided to concentrate on the woman and stayed where she was standing but looked directly into her eyes as she began to ask questions.

"Who are you and why am I here? What do you want with me?"

"I really do not think that you are in a position to ask questions. If anyone is going to ask questions it will be me. Because you didn't stay asleep like we planned, you have now become our unfortunate guest."

"Guest!" Laura screamed at her captors. "I was brought here against my will. That means that I am your captive…not your guest."

Laura tempered her anger and decided to change tactics. High heels woman gave her an opening and she decided to capitalize on it.

"If I was your _guest_ you would offer me some of that tea I heard you making. My stomach is very unsettled from being drugged and I'm afraid I've been unable to eat much today…for some reason."

Laura rubbed her stomach for further emphasis but her gaze never left high heels woman's eyes. She was studying her because no matter how things played out, she wanted to remember her features, her expression, her mannerisms, her words. This had to be bigger than the hospital vote as her captors had gone to a lot of trouble just to keep her from the hospital this afternoon.

High heels woman hesitated but her gaze also did not waver from Laura. Finally, the test of wills ended and she conceded the win to the blond woman standing before her. She had to figure out what to do with her as she certainly couldn't keep her captive forever.

"Rudge, make our guest a cup of tea. The kettle is still warm. I'd like some too. Use that blend I just created as it should help settle our _guest's_ stomach."

Accent man, aka Rudge, seemed hesitant to leave his boss and go into the next room. Laura allowed her gaze to wander to the outer room as he left as instructed. She was rewarded with a brief glimpse of the front door as she continued to calculate her escape route.

High heels woman moved to pull a chair over towards the bed where Laura was standing and Laura accepted her victory and moved to sit back down on the bed. She had managed to move the scissors into the sleeve of her jacket so that they were still accessible but not something she would have to continue to hide in her hand. It was time she got some answers and her _host_ appeared to be willing to talk to her.

"As my host," Laura began, "Will you tell me why you had your assistant drug me in the park and then bring me here. What could you possibly want with me?"

Now it was high heels woman's turn to stare at Laura. There was something just slightly familiar about her that she couldn't quite place. She had instructed Sorensen to identify someone on the Board that would vote in favor of the hospital staying open and provide Rudge with her picture and information so that he could detain her from voting. Her plan had worked except she had intended to keep this Board member sleeping in her car for just the afternoon and when she woke up she would have no memory of what happened or why she missed the hospital vote.

When she didn't respond, Laura tried again, this time an additional fierceness in her voice that hopefully conveyed more confidence than she was truly feeling.

"My son-in-law is a detective with the PCPD. He will be looking for me. My family will be looking for me. You can't keep me here as your 'guest' forever."

Rudge the Accent man returned and set on the table a tray with two small tea cups and the cast iron kettle. This was more than Laura could have hoped for and she watched patiently as high heels woman poured the tea from the kettle and handed it to her.

"Thank you." Laura offered but did not say anything else and made it look like she took a sip of the tea that was offered to her.

"Well, until I can figure out what we are going to do with you, we might as well become better acquainted. I'm Liv Lowry. And you are?"

Now it was impossible for Laura to hide her shocked expression.

"You kidnapped me and you don't even know who I am!"

"Now…now…no need to raise your voice. Relax and enjoy your tea. I told you, I only planned for you to sleep for a few hours while you unfortunately missed the Board vote at General Hospital."

Laura steadied her breathing, took another pretend sip of her tea, and set her cup on the table. Now she continued to rub her stomach, wincing through the pain in her abdomen. She saw a slight flicker of concern in Liv with the high heels and decided to try and find out more about her by engaging her in discussion.

"General Hospital is very important to me. My family has a rich history there as both my mother and father were doctors and my sister was a dedicated nurse. Why would you want to see it fail? If it is sold then how will this affect the Port Charles' community?"

Laura had to hand it to Liv; she was careful and calculated as she measured her words. She moved deftly to pour herself some more tea and offered more to Laura but had to notice that her cup was still full.

"I wondered why you looked familiar to me. Perhaps we know each other from years ago. Since you mentioned your family, perhaps I know them as I used to live in Port Charles years ago. Now, I'm merely a visitor, pausing here to complete some unfinished business before moving on again. You still haven't told me your name?"

Laura only had a few minutes to decide which way to play this scenario. She could provide Liv and her Accent man with an alias as multiple names bubbled to the surface. Lulu Thornhill, Josie Crisp, Lucy Johnson. But, she was annoyed that she had been abducted and drugged, apparently at random, just to swing the hospital vote in favor of selling the hospital and not because of any past Spencer or Cassadine feud.

"I am Laura Spencer. And now that you know who I am, I demand that you let me leave here at once. My family will be looking for me. You have what you wanted as I assume the decision was made to sell the hospital today. Why you would want to do that…"

Laura didn't get a chance to finish what she was saying as Liv stood up abruptly on her high heels and turned on Rudge who was not expecting her wrath.

"You abducted Laura Spencer! THE Laura Spencer. Luke and Laura Spencer." Liv turned around as if half expecting Luke to materialize from thin air, as if where ever Laura was, Luke was also certain to be there as well.

Now even more confused by her captor's reaction, Laura stood and stated, "Well obviously you know who I am but that still doesn't answer why the hospital being sold was so important to you."

Liv was standing next to Rudge, still admonishing him for his actions. Laura decided that this disruption was exactly what she needed and sprang into action.

"Owe! Ahhh…," Laura exclaimed as she doubled up in pain. As predicted, Liv moved instinctively to her side to see what was wrong. Laura moved quickly, shoving Liv aside as she stumbled to the floor, clearly caught off guard by Laura's sudden movements. Rudge moved to grab Laura and she timed a kick to his groin followed by the small but sharp scissors that she managed to imbed in the soft tissue below his right eye. High heels woman was getting to her feet when Laura swung the heavy tea kettle, making contact and watched as she fell back prone on the floor.

Now she was through the door and only took a quick minute to notice the herbs in glass jars lining the shelves of the shop before she pulled on the door and headed out into the dark night. Laura kicked off her heels and felt the stones of the pavement cutting into her stockings but kept moving and listened but didn't look back to see if she was being followed. She moved from the dimly lit sidewalk to the darker alley and scanned her surroundings as best as she could. She was certain they were still in Port Charles but this was a seedier part of the docks than she was used to and likely more industrial than the small shops down by Kelly's. Hence, the reason she had not seen a car or person to holler to for help. She decided not to scream as she was certain Accent man had managed to remove the scissors and come after her and she didn't want to give away her location.

Laura heard a dog barking in the distance and the sound of a freighter being unloaded on the docks. Now she just had to guess which direction to head as her feet were cold on the cobblestones of the alley. She sensed Rudge's presence before she heard or saw him and immediately moved to hide behind a large metal dumpster, snagging her dress on a bolt before crouching down to listen.

"Where the hell are you? You know that I'm going to bloody well find you and this time no more tea and crumpets with the boss lady. I told her we should have tied you up to begin with. Shit! You are lucky you didn't poke me with those scissors in my eye, lady."

Laura listened to Accent man's diatribe and tried to flatten herself even more against the brick wall as she slowed her breathing so he wouldn't hear her. If he just kept moving on she could go the other way and get to the docks to get someone to help her by calling the police. Certainly Lulu and Kevin were looking for her at this point and she couldn't wait to feel their arms around her and put this nightmare behind her.

Accent man did keep walking and Laura held her breath as he passed right in front of the dumpster. She could hear his footsteps but fortunately they sounded like they were going away from her. Still, she felt it was too soon to move and stood with one foot on top of the other, willing her body to stop shivering and wishing she had dressed for adventure instead of a Board meeting at the hospital.

The same dog continued to bark in the distance and she could hear nearby traffic. That was a good sign as she had to be close to a more traveled street than the one she had been on briefly when leaving the herb shop. Laura counted to 30 and hoped that the silence meant that Rudge had continued on in the direction he was walking down the alley. She had to move and move quickly. Laura switched her feet, balancing carefully against the brick wall, and tentatively started to shimmy out from behind the dumpster. With only a few stars to guide her, she figured it was close to 9 p.m. which meant that she had been gone for almost 12 hours. Would Dante have the police looking for her?

She could only imagine Tracy's anger and the shock the hospital was in now that it was inevitable that General Hospital would close its doors once and for all. Thinking about the hospital led her thoughts to Kevin. She was certain he was worried about her and hopefully he would think to retrace their steps together in the park. Laura had scratched Rudge with that silly key ring and managed to toss it into the grass while he was catching her fall to the ground. Now, more than ever, she wished she still had her key ring as it would remind her of Kevin and all his quirky 'nerdiness.' She loved him so much and was grateful to have someone out there missing her and worried about her. Sometimes the depth of her love for him even surprised her. And as she mentally counted in her head 30 more seconds, Laura realized that she couldn't imagine not being with Kevin. She loved their slow Saturday mornings and how he preferred to read most evenings instead of watch TV. How he loved to cook and what amazing meals they had cooked together…for each other. She blushed at the thought of what an amazing lover he is…generous…patient…and always with a sense of humor. She thought of the ongoing rematch they had for the racing game and Laura found herself smiling as she realized she was ahead 26 games to Kevin's 23. How he was teaching her to play chess and she was teaching him Turkish and Chinese. And as her hands touched the cold metal of the dumpster, she realized that she was foolish for not officially living with him. She loved him and he loved her and they were a couple, building a home and a future…now, even more so than before.

Laura carefully stepped out from behind the dumpster, looked cautiously down the alley and started to walk back to the street. Nervous to be so close to the herb shop, she realized she could continue on through the alley into the next block in the hopes that she was moving in the direction of the docks. She would inevitably run into someone eventually…in a car…walking….someone that would be willing to call 911 and help her get back to her loved ones.

As she fought to quiet her breath she was more attuned to the sounds and smells around her. The breeze was making it even colder and she could feel small pebbles pressing into her bare feet. Despite being keenly aware of her surroundings, Laura was disappointed she didn't sense his presence until after she felt the metal pressing into her back. Accent man was there and he quickly moved to put his hand around her mouth while he made sure she not only felt the gun…but also saw it being pressed against her side. Laura struggled but it was useless. They were only a few feet from the door to the store and Rudge easily guided her back inside.

Once inside he let her go but kept the gun trained on her and motioned for her to go back into the same room from earlier. She worried that she had managed to knock out Ms. Lowry as she was concerned what Accent man would do to her if left to his own devices. She saw the trail of blood down his face and the dark stain on his shirt. She stopped walking but he shoved her forward and she stumbled and reached for the bed. High heels woman was lying there with a bag of ice on her forehead and moved to sit up while her gaze never left Laura.

"Now can I tie her up?" Rudge didn't wait for an answer from his boss as he reached for some duct tape and rope from a black bag on the floor.

Liv was now standing but wobbly on her feet. She too had removed her heels and moved towards Laura with the ice bag still firmly in place.

"I see you thought you could get away from us by faking your pain, Mrs. Spencer, but it didn't work."

Rudge had returned and moved to tie Laura's wrists behind her back. He then moved to tie her ankles together as well.

"I wasn't faking," Laura stated calmly. "I was in pain. Be careful…not so tight. I promise you I won't try to go anywhere again. I can't afford to do anything that might…I mean this is risky already. I just had to try because you can't keep me here. I need to get back to my family."

Laura hesitated and for the first time since she was back in the room as a captive, Liv without her high heels, set down the ice bag and looked at her questioningly.

"What are you trying to tell us, Laura Spencer, my unfortunate guest?"

Laura sighed before she continued, looking directly in Ms. Lowry's eyes, trying not to notice the pink skin and swelling on her forehead, as she prepared to answer her question.

"I'm pregnant."

 **To be continued**


End file.
